This
year at work, I was part of a gluten free treat exchange. I’ve always
wanted to do a treat exchange, so I was excited to be a part of it, and also I was a little overwhelmed at the idea of having to make nine dozen
treats! Like most things in life, once you jump in and get your hands dirty, things are never quite as stressful as
they initially seem.

Given
that this time of year is full of rich chocolately treats, I decided to go with
something fresh and bright: lemon coconut macaroons a.k.a. ‘snoconut
balls’. I absolutely love how the acid in the lemon cuts the fat in the
coconut oil. This recipe showcases how versatile coconut can be, using it
in shredded and oil form. And it’s such a wonderful fat for us to
eat. There is of course some debate over whether saturated fats are
healthy or harmful. Personally, I like to stick to the saturated fats as
they are stable and can withstand heat without being damaged, as opposed to unsaturated
fats, such as olive oil (monounsaturated), which is less stable and can
lose its health benefits if heated too high. Plus, coconut oil is a
medium-chain triglyceride which our bodies have a much easier time breaking
down, providing us with a quick source of energy, as opposed to the long-chain
triglycerides we get from the majority of the other fats we eat. As
always, the choice is yours to make!

So,
the recipe! Full disclosure: I do not use exact measurements – that’s
part of the fun! Grab yourself a big bowl and play around with the
ingredients and make them to your taste. To make a dozen, you’ll need:

* A
bag of unsweetened shredded coconut

* Approximately
a half cup of coconut oil (you may need to add more), I’ve also added coconut cream concentrate to my recipe for a richer coconut taste, but it’s not
necessary

* Zest
of one lemon, and juice of one lemon (depending on size, I use the juice and zest of 1.5-2 lemons
for extra zing)

* raw
honey to taste (I use a small amount as I personally don’t like the

macaroons
to be too sweet)

* pinch
of pink Himalayan rock salt

Melt
the coconut oil and honey over low heat and dump into a mixing bowl with your
shredded coconut (and add coconut cream concentrate if you’ve chosen to use
it), add your lemon juice and lemon zest and pinch of salt and then use your
hands to combine really well – taste as you go! If the mixture is warm
from the melted coconut oil, let it cool a bit. Try rolling in your hands
– if they’re not forming easily, then add more coconut oil. Form into balls
and store in the freezer!